Computer Engineering Flashcards
6 cards from real BE/B Eng Bachelor of Engineering practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Computer Engineering flashcards as text
In computer networks, what is the purpose of subnetting?
Answer: To divide a large network into smaller, more manageable sub-networks
Subnetting partitions an IP network into smaller logical sub-networks to improve performance, security, and IP address management efficiency.
What is the time complexity of a binary search algorithm on a sorted array of n elements?
Answer: O(log n)
Binary search repeatedly halves the search space, so it finds a target in at most log₂(n) comparisons, giving O(log n) time complexity.
What is the role of a compiler in software development?
Answer: To translate high-level source code into machine code or intermediate code before execution
A compiler translates the entire source code of a high-level language into machine code (or bytecode) as a one-time process before the program is executed.
In embedded systems, what is a real-time operating system (RTOS) designed to guarantee?
Answer: That tasks are completed within defined time deadlines
An RTOS provides deterministic scheduling to ensure critical tasks meet strict timing deadlines, essential for safety-critical applications like automotive and medical devices.
What is the function of a DMA (Direct Memory Access) controller?
Answer: To transfer data between memory and peripherals without continuous CPU involvement
A DMA controller handles bulk data transfers between peripherals (e.g., disk, network) and memory directly, freeing the CPU for other tasks during the transfer.
Which cryptographic algorithm is asymmetric (uses a public-private key pair)?
Answer: RSA
RSA is an asymmetric encryption algorithm that uses a public key for encryption and a mathematically linked private key for decryption, foundational to secure communications.